Spring-inserting tool



L. A. SUEKOFF.

SPRING INSERTING TOOL.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 5. 1919.

- PatentedSept. 7, 1920.

ifiwezafor *Fric LOUIS A. S UEKOFF, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

srame-msnarme 'rooL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 7, 1920.

Application filed September 5, 1919. Serial No. 321,977.

To all whom it may concern ment or tool for the insertion or introduc-.

tion of springs to the interior of cushions and mattresses of that typein which coiled springs are employed as the resilient element of thestructure.

Various forms of spring-filled cushions and mattresses are in use. Oneof these is illustrated, described and claimed in my pending applicationfor United States Letters Patent filed January 30, 1919, Serial No.273,957. The form covered by that applicationv includes a series ofindividual pockets or cells for the springs, the fabric being soarranged that a single wall or ply of material only is employed toseparate each spring from those contiguous thereto. In the formation ofthe cushions or mattresses the fabric portion is first completed, thedivision walls being so related that the springs may be then insertedindividually into their respective pockets or cells.- To effect thiswith minimum expense, and with economy of labor and time, it isdesirable that all the springs for a single unit or grouping of thepockets or cells be introduced simultaneously to the interior of thefabric portion and the springs for the respective pockets or cellssuccessively in-' serted therein. This enables a speedy application ofthe springs to the fabric portion, and immediately upon the introductionof each spring into its pocket or cell its expansion therein distendsthe fabric and the spring is held in place without the necessity offastening-means of any sort.

The present invention has in contemplation the production of a simpletool or implement particularly designed for accomplishing theabove-recited ends, and it embraces novel means for holding in compres-.sion or folded condition the number of springs requisite for the ocketsor cells of a'unit or grouping to acilitate their simultaneousintroduction within the fabric portion of the cushion or mattress, andtheir proper positioning in relation to their respective pockets orcells for release therein.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tool or implement ofthe character stated which may be produced at small cost; the parts ofwhich are easily organ- 1zed and assembled, and one which may be used byunskilled labor with maximum speed in the introduction of the springs tothe fabrlc portions of the cushion and mattress structure.

Other objects and advantages of the inventlon will appear as the-natureof the improvements is better understood, the invention consistingsubstantially in the novel construction,v combination and arrangement ofparts hereinafter fully described, illustrated inthe accompanyingdrawings, and finally pointed out in the appended claims. It will beunderstood, of course, that the form shown is but an illustrativeembodiment thereof and 'is not to be considered in a llmiting orrestrictive sense.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a vertical section of the fabric portion ofa cushion structure illustratmg the herein described tool in its initialposition of application when introducing the springs to the interiorthereof. 1g. 2 is a similar view the tool being positloned for dischargeof the" springs into their respective pockets or cells.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the cushion 'structure, the dotted linesindicating the inserted springs as positioned by the tool, and. the toolbeing illustrated in its initial position of application-to thestructure.

Fig. 4 is a detail section of the cushion structure illustrating thesprings distended in their respective pockets or cells.

Fig. 5 is a face elevation of the tool.

Fig. 6 is an edge elevation thereof; and

Figs. 7 and 8 are transverse sectional views on the lines 7-7 and 8-8,respectively, Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and

more particularly Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8 thereof,

it will be observed that the herein described tool is formed of a pairof elongated flat members 10 and 11, each of said members being providedat appropriate points between its ends, and at one-edge thereof, withhaving eyes 14 and 15 arranged in interfitting relation, and being heldtogether by means of pintles'lG, whereby the members 10 and 11 areadapted to be swung with respect to each other into open and closedpchinge lugs '12 and 13, respectively, said lugs sitions. The member 11is slightly shorter than the member 10, and .said member is provided atone of its ends with an enlarged ber 11 fitting in rear of the head 17so that in the introduction of the tool to the fabric portion of thecushion or mattress said guide-head will serve to open the way for.

the member 11 and prevent the fabric being caught by the advancing endof the member 11. This, therefore, insures freedom of movement of thetool asit is introduced into the fabric portion of the. cushion ormattress structure.

Slidably mounted on the members 10. and 11 is a locking sleeye 18, andby means of this sleeve the members 10 and 11 are held in foldedrelation with respect to each other,

and thereby prevented from being forced apart under pressure exerted bythe compressed springs held there-between. This locking sleeve 18 maybereadily removed from the handle portion or ends of the members 10and'11to permit the same to be thrown to open position, when such isdesired. v

In the use of the herein described tool the members 10 and 11 are movedto closed position as illustrated in the drawings. "When so foldedtogether they are slightly spaced. apart, as in Figs. 2,3 and 6. Thisspacing permits the introduction of a series of the springs 19, afterthe same have been compressed, to the space between the members 10 and11, and when so introduced the springs are held in the compressedcondition referred to. To now apply the springs to the interior of thefabric portion 20 of the cushion or mattress structure the toolisinserted' along one of the continuous division walls 21 of thestructure with the flat face of the tool presented to that wall. Thispdsition ofthe tool is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings.\Vhen inserted to the desired extent the tool is turned at right angles'to'its initial position, or to that position illustrated in Fig. 2, andwith each of the compressed springs 19 opposite to the pocket or cellwhich it is to occupy presmembers arranged with a space there besure isapplied to each one of the springs crosswise of the tool so as to forcethe springs out from between the members 10 and 1 1 and into the pocketor cell. l/Vhen each of the compressed springs thus leaves the tool itexpands against the end portions of the pocket or cell, as illustratedin Fig.

. tion is continued until the entire cushion or mattress structure isfilled with the springs, which operation is quickly and easilyperformed. It will be understood that as the tool is introduced into thefabric portion the guide-head 17 enables the tool to follow a free paththere-through, this head preventing the fabric becoming caught in thetool, and easily penetrating the spaces between the division walls ofthe pockets or ce ls.

ture herein illustrated is that embodied in my pending application,Serial 1T0. 273,957, and includes a plurality of units 22 which areformed of strips folded upon themselves, the opposite portions thereofbeing connected by'the division walls 23 the upper and lower ends ofwhich are connected... as at 24 to the parallel portions of the units22. These units are then arranged in parallel relation with thecontinuous division walls 21 arranged between contiguous units, thewalls 21 being suitably stitched or fastened to the contiguous units.The fastenings, however, of the continuous walls 21 and the walls 23 areapplied only to the upper and lower. edges of the walls 21 and the upperand lower ends of the walls 23. Inasmuch as the edge portions of thewalls 23 have no connection with the continuous walls 21 the tool may bereadily inserted between said ed e portions and the continuous walls 21.for the easy insertion of the respective coiled springs to theirrespective pockets or cells.

I claim:

1. A tool of the class described,'compris- -ing separated parallelelongated members adapted to receive a series of coiled springs incompressed relation and to hold the same compressed, and means arrangedon said members for guiding the same in their in- The form of thecushion or mattress struc- T hus provision is made troduction into theposition of discharge of the springs therefrom.

'2. A tool of the class described, comprising a pair of parallel flatelongated tween for accommodating a series of coiled springs incompressed relation, means for holding said members against separationunder the pressure of said springs, and means for guiding the members tothe position of discharge of the. springs therefrom ing there-between. aplurality of coiled springs in compressed relation, and means forholding said members against separation under pressure of said springs.

4. A tool of the class described, comprising a pair of elongatedflattened members hingedly connected together but normally held inspacedrelation to accommodate a plurality of coiled springs in compressedform, and means for preventing separation of said members under pressureof said springs. y

5. A tool of the class described, comprising a pair of elongated membershingedly connected together, said members, in their folded position,being slightly spaced apart to accommodate aplurality of coiled springsin compressed form, a guide-head carried by one of said members andoverlapping the contiguous end of the latter, and means for locking saidmembers against separation under pressureof the compressed springs.

6. A tool of the class described, comprising a pair of elongatedflattened members hingedly connected together at one of their edges,said members being slightlyispaced apart when in their folded positiontoreceive a plurality of compressed coiled springs, means for guiding saidtool when the same is introduced for the discharge i of the springstherefrom at their point of application, and means for locking saidmembers against separation under pressure of said springs. ,7

7. A tool of the class described, comprising a pair of elongatedflattened members hingedly connected at one of their edges and normallyspaced apart in their folded position, whereby to accommodate aplurality of compressed coiled springs, one of said members beingshorter than the other, a guide-head carried by the longer member andarranged to overlap the contiguous end of the shorter member, and meansfor locking said members to prevent separation of the same underpressure of the coiled I springs.

8. A tool of the class described, compris-' ing a pair offlattened'elongated parallel members hingedly connected together at oneof their edges, said members when folded being slightly spaced apart toreceive a plurality of compressed coiled springs, one of said membersbeing shorter than the other, a guide head carried by the longer memberand arranged to overlap the shorter member when the members are foldedtogether, and a locking sleeve slidably mounted on said members to holdthe same against separation under pressure of the coiled springs. Intestimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses. V v

LOUIS A. SUEKOFF.

Vitnesses: LUCILE V. PIEKAL,

Ross Comm.

